Powered Low Lifting Fork-Lift Trucks or Powered Pallet Trucks comprise a height adjustable fork which is supported on the ground by front support wheels. These trucks are typically used for moving loading pallets in warehouses. Such pallets are supported on the ground by lower base boards which are arranged parallel and form two channel-like openings for receiving the forks of the pallet truck. Sometimes, it is not possible to maneuver the truck into a position where the forks may be inserted into the appropriate channels of the pallet and instead the pallet is engaged in a direction transverse to the base boards. A problem related to this maneuver is that the pallet may be pushed away from the truck when the support wheels hit the base board of the pallet. A further problem is that shocks and loud noises may be caused when the support wheels of the truck hit the base board of the pallet and the ground surface while climbing up and down the base boards of a pallet.
To minimize these problems, a climbing wheel may be arranged in front of the support wheel on the forks of the pallet truck.
GB2137161 shows a pallet truck having tandem climbing wheels which are pivotally suspended on the tip of the forks of the pallet truck. In operation, the climbing wheels roll up on the baseboard and bear down thereon so that the pallet is held in place when the larger support wheel engages the base board.
However, it is still necessary to engage the pallet at a relatively high speed to force the support wheels upon and over the base board. In addition thereto, the known climbing wheel arrangement is of relatively complicated construction and limited to a narrow range of pallet dimensions.
Thus, it is an object of the present disclosure to provide a lift-truck which solves or at least mitigates one of the problems of the prior-art. A further object of the present disclosure is to provide a fork-lift truck which provides for a smooth traversal of the support wheels over a base board. Yet a further object of the present disclosure is to provide a fork-lift truck having a flexible climbing function. Yet a further object of the present disclosure is to provide a simple and cost effective fork-lift truck with automated climbing function.